"Sadly we are fearing the worst...the sea temperature is so cold at the moment," John Fitzgerald, Chief Officer of Channel Islands Air Search, told AFP. "If it came down as an uncontrolled landing, the plane would've broken up, in which case there is no hope," said Fitzgerald, whose volunteer-staffed company assists British and French coastguards. French civil aviation authorities confirmed that Sala was on board the light aircraft that went missing off the Channel Islands late Monday.
The only hope would be if the plane was able to perform a controlled ditch, said Fitzgerald. "Ditching at sea is survivable. It makes it really difficult when it's dark though... ideally you land between the waves. "If it was a planned ditch, they had their life-raft ready... you can survive it," he added.